Thinking about the underlying problem

We live in a world of solutions. We are constantly bombarded with solutions, sometimes to problems that we didn't even know we had. Just look at much of the advertising...new appliances...new gadgets...new programmes, all promising to make our lives easier: all promising to fix some problem that we have.

And sometimes it's easy to believe what we're told by such advertising. But a key element in thinking is being able to decide whether the solution being offered fixes an actual problem that we have.

In their book businessThink: Rules for Getting It Right--Now, and No Matter What, authors Dave Marcum and Steve Smith talk about "Moving off the solution". This basically means getting to the underlying problem that the solution is meant to solve, AND then deciding whether it really is a problem that needs solving (and if so, whether the solution on offer is the best available).

So for example, let's say your new years resolution is to start running each day.

The key question then is:

What problem(s) is running meant to solve?

You come up with a list:

- Increase my fitness
- Burn off excess fat
- Gives me an emotional recharge
- Gets me outside rather than staying stuck indoors all day.

You then figure out the priority order of the problems, from most important to least important:

1) Increase my fitness
2) Burn off excess fat
3) Gives me an emotional recharge
4) Gets me outdoors

As it turns out, your original order is the order of priority (it doesn't always happens this way).

Next, you need to figure out whether the above problems really do need fixing. So you go through and ask: do I really need to increas my fitness? What is the evidence that I do? Perhaps when you play with your kids, you notice how quickly you're out of breath. Or perhaps you want to run a marathon at the end of the year, and know you'll need to increase fitness.

You then move to 2) Burn off excess fat. Do you really need to burn off excess fat? Perhaps you're 30 lbs overweight. And then what happens? Well, you run a higher risk of chronic illness, whether diabetes, coronary problems, joint problems, and so on.

So far, based on the evidence you've come up with, it seems that the problems (1) and (2) above really do need fixing.

But of course, the next question to ask is if running is the solution that fixes these problems, or whether there are better alternatives (eg skipping rope, swimming, cycling, etc). At this point, you can list some alternatives, and see which one suits the best.

In my personal case, I'll be trying the skipping rope, as I'm not a big fan of running, yet still need the aerobic exercise.

Anyway, the moral of the story is to always look beneath a proposed solution, to see what the actual problem is. But don't stop there! Continue on to see if the problem really does need fixing. Because you don't want to waste time, energy and money on a solution to a problem that doesn't need fixing...

Until next time, keep thinking.

Alternative Definitions of a Thinking Focus

Once you have a Thinking Focus (ie the specific issue that you are focusing your thinking on), then it can be useful to consider alternative definitions of this Thinking Focus.

The Benefits of Alternative Definitions
Here are some of the benefits of getting alternative definitions of your thinking focus:

1) You look at the issue from a variety of different angles
Sometimes we are so fixated in looking at the issue from one particular angle,
that we miss out on another, better angle. Breakthroughs often happen
when you look at an issue from a new angle.

2) You gain a deeper understanding of the issue
Even if you don't gain that breakthrough insight into the issue, you still nevertheless
gain a deeper understanding of the issue, and thus are better placed to think about it.


An example: the current conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Let us take the current middle east conflict as our thinking focus. We will make it a General Area focus (see my earlier post on the different type of thinking Focuses), as follows:

"We want new ideas in the area of peace between Israel and Hamas".

Let us now come up with some alternative definitions of the Focus. I will
just list them now:

We want ideas in how to stop the fighting between Israel and Hamas
We want ideas in how to minimise civilian casualties in the fighting between Israel and Hamas
We want ideas in how to bring about a ceasefire between the parties
We want ideas in how to make Israel withdraw it's forces
We want ideas in how to stop Hamas from firing rockets into Israel
We want ideas in how to make diplomacy effective in bringing peace
We want ideas in how to convince the Israeli government that fighting is not the answer
We want ideas in how to convince Hamas that fighting is not the answer
We want ideas in how to bring the moderates from both sides into power.


You get the idea...I could have easily gone on, exploring the issue further. The trick is not going until you get the "right" answer, but rather going long enough that your perception is expanded. That way, you gain new insight. Even if you don't come up with the "right" answer (if there is such a thing), you still gain some fresh perspectives, and possible ways ahead.

In any situation, there is value in compiling such a list of alternative focus definitions.

Until next time, keep thinking.